Father's Instinct
by Seito
Summary: 5 times Bruce was protective of Dick and the one time Dick was protective of Bruce. "Ah, he's getting terribly overprotective of Master Richard. Hopefully he doesn't go too overboard." R&R


I own nothing.

**Note:** Slight implied Wally/Dick.

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><p>It was a flux of conflicting emotions. On one hand, he was very proud. On the other, he was very worried. On the first thought, he can't believe he agreed to this, on the second thought he believed it was the best thing ever.<p>

"Master Bruce, are you really going to let Master Richard out as Robin tomorrow?"

And Alfred, of course, was always ready to drive the stake home.

Bruce grimaced. "Well, I did promise him."

"But…"

"I don't want to."

"Hmm," Alfred said in a knowing tone. "So the reason why you've been pushing yourself so hard this week is to ensure that all of Gotham's major criminals are locked up by tomorrow."

Bruce twitched. As always, Alfred saw right through him. There was nothing Bruce could hide from his oldest friend and father figure.

"Well, I suppose even I can't condemn this, with you and Master Richard working so hard," Alfred continued. He handed Bruce his cowl and cape. "Do try to not overdo it tonight Master Bruce. Master Richard will be terribly disappointed if he cannot go out tomorrow because you got injured tonight."

Bruce nodded and vanished into the night. As soon as he was gone, Alfred sighed. "Ah, he's getting terribly overprotective of Master Richard. Hopefully he doesn't go too overboard."

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><p>"No."<p>

"C'mon Bats! We wanna meet your new sidekick!"

"No." Batman glared at his fellow members of the League. He scowled. It had been a bad idea to let Clark into Gotham yesterday. Robin insisted on meeting Superman, something Batman grudging agreed to.

Then it seemed Clark couldn't keep his mouth shut. So when Batman walked into the League meeting he was bombarded by the others asking to meet Robin.

"Why not?" Green Arrow asked.

Batman scowled harder. "Because I don't want any of you to corrupt him!"

If Batman had it his way, he was going to keep his little bird safe away from the cheek pinching and prying members of the League. He knew that look Barry, Dinah and Diana's faces. Just the thought of meeting something cute and adorable as Robin, they would kidnap Robin in a heartbeat.

Most of all, he was going to keep Robin far away from the bad influence known as Oliver Queen.

…

He supposed Robin could meet the rest.

If they kidnapped his little bird, well… he did know where all of them lived.

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><p>"Are you sure you don't want me to come in with you?"<p>

"Nah, I'll be fine."

"But."

"Really Bruce. You showed me the entire base yesterday. I think I can handle meeting my new teammates by myself."

"But."

"I'm not moving out you know. I plan to come home every night, unless you make a late night training session or early morning one. I'm growing up, but you're always gonna be my mentor, my partner, my dad."

"… Fine. If –"

"If they fail to succeed your expectations, the team will be disbanded. Yes I know."

"And!"

"And if they fail to protect me, you plan to gut them and string them up by their intestines. Yes I know."

"…Have a nice day."

* * *

><p>"Master Bruce, I believe Mister Barry will disapprove of you plotting to kill his nephew."<p>

Bruce grumbled but otherwise did not look up from his chemistry set. He was designing a special component that would be impossible for Kid Flash to vibrate out of. Robin had informed him that last week Wally had mastered the art of vibrating molecules.

"Master Bruce," Alfred warned.

"I won't kill him," Bruce said with a huff. If it would stop Alfred, then yes he won't kill Wally West. Maim, yes, possibly enough to send said boy to the hospital, but he wouldn't kill Kid Flash.

Alfred sighed. "Why are you so angry at Mister Wallace?"

Bruce grimaced. "He's trying to steal away Dick's virginity!"

Silence fell over the cave for a full five minutes. "I see," Alfred began. "He confessed to Master Richard, I take it." That was a good thing in Alfred's book for the most part. He had known that Dick had a crushed on the redhead speedster. Alfred highly doubted that Wally was trying to steal Dick's virginity away. They both far too young for that.

"Yes."

"And has he asked for permission from you sir?"

"No."

Silence fell once more. Bruce actually looked up from his chemistry set to see what Alfred was doing. "I see," Alfred finally said. "I will get you more Nitrile rubber then."

Bruce nearly cheered. He knew Alfred would see his way eventually!

* * *

><p>"Now Robin, why don't you be a good boy and join me."<p>

"Never," Robin spat out. He glared at the menacing figure looming above him. Behind him, his friends laid scattered, battered and beaten. "I will never join you Slade."

"Such a shame then," Slade remarked. He raised his foot, ready to slam down on Robin's head. "I have no use for you." Robin braced himself for the attack.

It never came.

"Stay. Away. From. Him."

Slade went flying into a nearby wall. Batman landed front of Robin, checking on his ward. "Batman," Robin croaked.

Batman frowned, noticing the seriousness of Robin's and his teammates' injuries. "Stay here," he ordered Robin. Then he pulled Robin to the side a chunk of debris flew pass them. Batman turned back to face Slade. His cape fluttering in the wind.

"You're going to regret that."

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><p>Dick questioned whether this level of panic and paranoia was what Bruce went through on a daily basis. He concluded that if Bruce suffered even a fraction of the fear Dick was feeling, than Dick was never going to question his guardianfather overprotectiveness again.

In layman terms, Batman got hit by a beam and was reduced to three year old child.

A very cute and adorable three year old child that thought Dick was the greatest big brother in the entire world and didn't have a clue that he was Batman.

That was not the point here. With Alfred's help, Dick managed to baby proof the entire Manor within the hour. It took Bruce only 30 minutes to master the art of disappearing.

Dick raced through the entire manor looking for his wayward mentor. "BRUCE!" he shouted. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

He skidded to a stop as he passed the kitchen and stared in horror. Bruce had somehow climbed up the counter and reaching into the jar of cookies that Alfred left there. However he was too short to reach inside and eventually lost his balance.

Dick leapt, catching Bruce just in time. As he laid on the kitchen floor, Bruce cradled in his arms giggling, Dick sighed.

"I'm never having kids."

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><p>Please Review. :3<p> 


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